A renowned international marine biology expert has written to Simon Coveney, the fisheries minister, about “incorrect information” that is allegedly being circulated about the effects of sea lice on wild salmon. The letter comes as the Department of Agriculture, Marine, and Food decides whether to give the green light to two planned organic salmon farms. One is a private commercial concern in Bantry Bay, and the other, off Inis Oirr, is being developed by state agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM).

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Richard Benyon, the UK’s fisheries minister, has vowed to drive “ambitious and radical reform” of the EU’s common fisheries policy at a key meeting in Brussels this week. In an interview with the Guardian, he listed three main goals for the UK – to ensure that a new proposal for fishing to be carried on strictly within a “maximum sustainable yield” that would be legally binding; a ban on the discarding of edible fish at sea, and a devolution of key aspects of managing fishing quota to member states, instead of being controlled entirely from Brussels.

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Fishermen in Irish seas who commit minor offences will not be crimin–alised or face confiscation of their catch or equipment.

Proposals launched yesterday by Fianna Fáil aim to decriminalise some sea fishery offences committed by Irish–registered vessels.

Under a proposed bill to be brought to the Seanad, trawler skippers would face administrative penalties and fines of €400 as opposed to more serious measures under current EU fishery laws.

The Government last night indicated it would consider the proposals to ease fines.

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Scientist warns minister of sea lice dangers

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Monday, May 13, 2013, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The chair of the World Register of Marine Species has sent a letter to Fisheries Minister Simon Coveney warning him of recent incorrect data released in the media about the potential effect of sea lice from salmon farms on wild fish stocks. The writer insists that surface waters push sea lice into contact with wild salmon.

Marine Ecology Professor at the University of Auckland Mark Costello –– who is also the president of the International Association of Biological Oceanography and the Marine and Freshwater Editor of the journal Biological Conservation –– noted that salmon lice from aquaculture farms “have proven difficult to control on farms, especially large farms” and have been “linked to mass fatal parasite infestations on wild salmon and trout in Ireland, Scotland, Norway and Canada.”

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A TOTAL of 410 objections lie on Minister Simon Coveney’s desk as he ruminates on the pitfalls of rubber–stamping BIM’s request to build the world’s largest salmon farm in Galway Bay. And who could possibly object to the Minister’s claim that his decision “will rest solely on sound science”?

But hold on a second! Surely common sense demands that all such sound science be investigated prior to the Minister lavishing millions of taxpayers’ euros on consultant fees and a seriously discredited environmental impact statement? And what about the vast media expenses he’s spent on “reassuring” the public on how environmentally safe and financially bountiful his salmon farming extravaganza was going to be for Galway Bay?

We all know that the Minister will concentrate on the “science” that he approves of while quietly ignoring the mountain of damning data stacked against building of his complex. Let’s flick through the main scientific landmarks showing why this complex should never go ahead.

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European fisheries ministers might not relish the idea, but new research suggests that whales may be entitled to a stake in the management of certain stocks in Irish waters.The study by a team of Irish scientists shows that fin and humpback whales are attracted to the Irish coast by the superior taste of our scad and herring stocks, whereas these species feed on krill in other parts of “blue Europe”.

Krill are tiny plankton–eating crustaceans which fin and humpback whales consume in large quantities, with fin whales relying almost exclusively on them in the Mediterranean and Bay of Biscay .When same fin whales arrive in the Celtic Sea, however, they cannot resist gorging on scad and herring, according to Dr Conor Ryan of Galway–Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). 

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Just 9% of the millions of tonnes of fish caught by China‘s giant fishing fleet in African and other international waters is officially reported to the UN, say researchers using a new way to estimate the size and value of catches. Fisheries experts have long considered that the catches reported by China to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) are low but the scale of the possible deception shocked the authors.

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Sir, – In response to Richie Flynn (March 25th), it is indeed true that land–based salmon farming is in its infancy, and is a developing technology. It is also not too long since we pumped raw sewage into our lakes and rivers. We consider it unthinkable now to pump untreated raw sewage into our waters, but Mr Flynn would have us continue with a polluting, environmentally damaging industry (open–cage industrial salmon farming) rather than embrace new technology.

At a time when all land–based members of the IFA (our farming brethren) must comply with stringent waste disposal regulations, traceability and organic requirements, I am sure many of them would be annoyed to learn their organisation is agitating on behalf of an industry that disposes of its waste directly into the sea. This industry al s o causes huge damage to wild salmon through the spread of parasites and disease, and it also uses large quantities of pesticides. The same stringent organic requirements that apply to land–based farmers are not applied to salmon farmers; and pesticides, chemical treatments and antibiotics are routinely used.

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The body representing the views of a number of islanders living closest to a planned €50m organic salmon farm said it strongly objects to the plan.

The Aran island of Inis Oírr lies closest to Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s Deep Sea Project plan that it believes will employ 350 people directly and a further 150 indirectly and provide €100m in exports on an annual basis. However, Comhar Caomhan Teo has said that the proposal “offers no benefit to Inis Oírr” in view of the condition of Inis Oírr pier and the fact that no offices or storage will be based on the island. 

The objection is one of 410 submissions received by the Department of Agriculture and, to date, the department is refusing to release the contents of the submissions as it considers the fish farm proposal. 

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 But BIM says 500 jobs are at stake if project is thrown out by minister 

A MAJOR row over the country’s biggest ever fish farm has developed between promoters of the project and conservationists keen to protect wild salmon stocks.

The proposed 456–hectare organic salmon farm in Galway Bay is being promoted by the State fisheries agency BIM. At its closest shore–to land point, it will be located just 1.7 km away from the Aran Islands, whose rugged scenic beauty attracts thousands of tourists every year.

And when operating at full capacity, it will be one of the largest organic farms of its type in Europe, producing up to 15,000 tonnes of salmon annually – doubling Ireland’s current yearly production – as well as promising to create 500 jobs locally.

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 FURTHER to the salmon farming debate and following on from the protest march in Galway City recently at which up to 2,000 people attended, it is hoped by many that BIMs proposal for a super–size farm in Galway Bay will not proceed in its present format.

 A land–based unit facility is fast emerging as an option. In this regard, both BIM and the Minister for the Marine, Hugh Coveney, chould take note of a successful on–shore closed salmon farming system that is up and running in Norway since 2006 and has working facilities in Cork for the past two years. 

According to its website, Niri was established by a team of marine biologists and engineers led by Arve Gravdal who has over 20 years experience in the industry, during which time he perfected production technologies.

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Sharks risk being driven to extinction due to overfishing, with almost 100 million killed each year, scientists have warned. Many species of shark need better protection to prevent their extinction within coming decades, researchers warned in advance of a global conference on the trade in threatened species. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) will consider greater protection of vulnerable sharks, including porbeagles, oceanic whitetip and three types of hammerhead to preserve their populations.

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 Icelandic conservationist Orri Vigfusson has warned plans for a fish farm on the Aran Islands ‘could destroy’ wild salmon stocks in the region.

Up to 2,000 people have marched through Galway City in protest at plans by Bord Iascaigh Mhara to locate a €100 million fish farm on a 456 hectare site in the lee of the Aran Islands.

The marchers who wielded banners proclaiming “Save Galway Bay” and the names of more than 20 angling and protest groups, were addressed at the City’s Spanish Arch by Icelandic entrepreneur and wild salmon conservationist Orri Vigfusson.

Mr Vigfusson said he was dedicated to restoring the abundance of wild salmon that formerly existed on both sides of the North Atlantic, and warned the Galway Bay project could “destroy” wild salmon stocks in the region.

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 PRIOR to tomorrow’s planned protest against plans for a 15,000 tonne salmon farm in Galway Bay, Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) has lodged a formal complaint with the Ombudsman for Local Government.

FIE argues that the proposal undermines the National Development Plan 2007 – 2013, which placed a moratorium on the expansion of salmon farming until the sea lice issue has been addressed.The moratorium was announced in July 2010 after a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Irish Seafood National Program 2007 – 2013, and was published as part of the National Development Plan 2007 –2013.

Inland Fisheries Ireland, along with the Department of Communications and Natural Resources, required that the moratorium be imposed: “until the sea lice issue has been addressed”.

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European Union fisheries ministers have agreed to phase out the controversial practice of dumping unwanted fish. After a tense all–night meeting, ministers said a ban on “discards” should be phased in, starting in January 2014 for certain types of fish. It is a victory for campaigners who have demanded the end of a practice that has brought the EU into disrepute. But activists fear that exemptions for certain countries could open loopholes to be exploited in future talks.

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Concerns over sea lice emanating from salmon farms and the resulting potential for detrimental effects on wild salmon and sea trout continue to gain momentum, particularly in light of BIMs proposal for a supersized salmon farm for Galway Bay. 

Renowned sea–trout angling guide Judd Ruane from the Moy Estuary, in Ballina, Co Mayo, says it never fails to disappoint how varied our marine scientists have been over the years on the question of fish farms.

 “With the introduction of salmon fish farms we have seen the decimation of the greatest sea trout fishery in the country, namely Connemara. Those who speak on behalf of the government are still in denial every step of the way.” 

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An environmental catastrophe with greater economic impact than the global financial crash is occurring on the high seas, according to David Miliband. The former foreign secretary is to lead a new, high–level international effort to end the lawlessness of the oceans, which will be unveiled this week. The high seas, which lie beyond any national jurisdiction, cover almost half the Earth’s surface and decades of over–exploitation have caused trillions of dollars’ worth of fish catches to be lost. Pirate fishing, often using slave labour and linked to cocaine and weapons smuggling, is rife and the damage caused to life in the oceans is harming the habitability of the whole planet. Future risks include sea–floor mining and rogue geoengineering.

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The oceans are changing faster today and in more ways than at any time in human history. We are the cause. Which is why I welcome the launch of the Global Ocean Commission, dedicated to ending the neglect, in international affairs, of the high seas. These seas lie far beyond the horizon – 200 nautical miles offshore to be precise – and begin where sovereign national waters give way to the global commons, owned by none, shared by all. There was a time when foreign travel gave many people a familiarity with the high seas. Rather than a few hours in a plane, “long haul” often meant days or weeks spent staring at an endless canvas of sea and sky. Today, few of us know much about what happens beyond the horizon and still fewer care. Like all common spaces, the high seas are vulnerable to misuse and abuse. Our indifference is costing the world dear for the high seas are being plundered.

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Fishing and tourism interests have disputed Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM) claim that sea lice are not a significant factor in the deaths of wild Atlantic salmon. 

In support of its plan for one of Europe’s largest salmon farms to be located in a 456 hectare site in Galway Bay, BIM said there was “no evidence to support the contention that salmon farming causes any environmental damage”. 

It also claimed that commentary from the Marine Institute showed sea lice amounted to 1 per cent of deaths in “absolute” terms among wild Atlantic salmon.

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 Fishing and tourism interests have reacted sharply to Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s claim that sea lice are not a significant factor in the deaths of wild Atlantic salmon.

In support of its plan for one of Europe’s largest salmon farms to be located in on a 456 hectare site in Galway Bay, the board said there was “no evidence to support the contention that salmon farming causes any environmental damage”. It also claimed the latest commentary form the Marine Institute showed sea lice amounted to just one per cent of deaths in “absolute” terms, among wild Atlantic salmon.

However, a number of industry and environmental groups have accused the Bord of not “fully reading” the research.

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